What a pleasure it is to have an elaenia that is easily identifiable. Not only is it the only elaenia in Chile but it has a crest and a white crown patch that is almost always visible. Add to that two whitish wing-bars and a distinctive "fio-fio" call and you can't go wrong.

In fact, it's more complicated than that. There are several sub-species that breed from southern Colombia through Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and into Argentina. Some are dingier with less well marked wing-bars and the incessant and obvious calls are only given in the breeding season. Jaramillo suggests that the sub-species found in most of Chile E. a. chilensis might be a separate species.